Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

According to statistics, the number of migrants arriving in Turkiye in 2025 increased by more than a quarter—25.2% compared to the previous year—reaching a total of 393,829 people. Of this number, 91,952 were Turkish citizens returning from the diaspora, while 301,877 were foreign nationals, AzerNEWS reports.

Among foreign nationals, citizens of Turkmenistan were the most active group, accounting for 23.4% of arrivals. They were followed by citizens of Azerbaijan (8.3%), Uzbekistan (6.9%), Egypt (6.1%), and Afghanistan (5.8%).

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) also provided data on expatriates who had previously lived in Turkiye and later left the country. In this category, citizens of Iraq ranked first (5.7%), followed by Afghanistan (11.2%), Russia (7.6%), Iran (6.3%), and Turkmenistan (5.7%).

An analysis of the geographical distribution of migrants across Turkiye shows that Istanbul received the largest share in 2025, accounting for 42.2% of all arrivals. It was followed by Antalya (9.1%), Ankara (6.7%), Izmir (3.1%), and Bursa (2.9%).

This pattern highlights a long-term trend in Turkiye’s migration dynamics: large metropolitan areas continue to attract the majority of newcomers due to stronger labor markets, educational opportunities, and more developed infrastructure. In particular, Istanbul remains the country’s primary migration hub, absorbing nearly half of all incoming migrants.